


The Balance Restored

by SpaceWolfQueen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon Universe, Eventual Smut, F/M, Post The Last Jedi, The Last Jedi Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 07:39:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13608684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceWolfQueen/pseuds/SpaceWolfQueen
Summary: The Resistance is nearly destroyed. With General Leia's death, Poe struggles to rebuild their numbers and restore hope for their fight. Kylo Ren has taken control of the First Order as Supreme Leader, determined to fulfill his destiny. But Rey promised Leia she would bring Ben Solo back from the Darkside. And she's determined to do so without losing herself along the way.





	1. Chapter 1

He knelt on the red stained ground, broken and alone. The fear in his eyes hardly veiled by the anger and resentment he projected from himself in waves. It didn’t take much to push past his defenses. 

Pain. Fear. Loneliness. 

Rey could feel how lost he believed himself to be. It was something she’d felt her entire life. Lost and alone. 

“We need to take off!” a resistance fighter’s voice called out to Chewie, breaking through her concentration. 

His walls were back but they couldn’t block her from seeing that fear in his eyes. 

Rey had no choice but to close the door. As she did, one emotion rose up inside her: determination. 

Ben Solo was not lost. There was still hope. 

***

“What are your orders Supreme Leader?” General Hux snide voice greeted Kylo as he boarded once more. 

“Pull out,” Kylo Ren stated. 

“But S-”

Kylo Ren cut off the general’s voice easily. The man was a thorn in his side. He could easily snuff him out. Kylo felt the weakened pulse anxiously pumping away in his neck as Kylo tightened his force grip. 

“I said pull out.” 

General Hux’s body fell to the floor with a resounding thud. 

“Right away sir.”

Kylo didn’t bother to watch the officer carry out his orders. He needed to get away, to find somewhere he could be alone in silence. The sooner the better. 

It had taken years for Kylo to build up his defenses, to mask his true emotions from showing on his face. He’d given into his anger, the only emotion he would let loose. But now fear was creeping through. Fear of his past and future. Never before had he been so unsure of his path, his destiny. 

It was all her fault. 

What had possessed him to believe someone as bright as her would follow him into the wonders of the darkness of the universe? She was too good, too pure. 

Kylo was destined for darkness. He was destined to rule all the black corners of the galaxy. He’d seen it in his dreams. And when their hands touched, it solidified his dreams. He was destined for dark and powerful greatness. 

It was his path. His destiny.

No scavenger would change that. He’d been foolish to believe she would join him. She was blinded by hope. 

Hope. 

Such a foolish human philosophy. His parents had been blinded by the foolishness hope offered. But not he. Not the powerful Kylo Ren. 

He would snuff out all hope. Hope was a characteristic of weakness. And Kylo Ren was anything but weak. 

***

“Luke is gone,” Rey said. She looked into the General’s eyes, full of so many emotions: pain, longing, but most of all hope. 

Leia nodded and took Rey’s hand. “I know.”

What was left of the Resistance, scattered about the bridge of the Millennium Falcon, struggling to heal the wounded but also rejoicing in their narrow escape. 

“But it wasn’t painful. It felt,” Rey hesitated, searching for the right word. “Peaceful.”

General Leia nodded, her eyes following BB-8 as he cheerfully beeped his way over to Captain Poe. 

“How are we to build the Resistance from this?” Rey asked. 

“We have all we need right here,” Leia replied, resting her hands atop Rey’s holding on to both halves of the lightsaber. “We have hope.”

***  
One Month Later

“Supreme Leader,” General Hux carefully approached the black throne Kylo Ren sat upon. “There are rumors of an uprising.”

Kylo Ren didn’t flitch, didn’t even move as he sat, silently, staring at the space above the General’s head. 

Hux was sure Kylo thought himself to look powerful and oppressive, sitting upon his cold and overbearing throne. The Supreme Leader cloaked himself in dark clothing and wore the scar on his face with pride. Ignore the fact it was a lowly scavenger girl who’d given it to him. Kylo acted as if the scar were a badge of honor, proof of his ferciness in battle. Hux knew it for the lie it was. 

Several moments passed as Hux waited for a response, an order of how to proceed. But no such order came. 

“What would you have us do, Supreme Leader,” the title left his lips like a hideous snake leaping forward, hissing out a forked tongue. Kylo Ren didn’t deserve the title. Hux anxiously waited for the day it’d be stripped from him. He just hoped he was there to see it. 

“What progress have you made on finding the island?” Kylo Ren replied in an apathetic voice. 

General Hux was taken aback. Their efforts should be spent on destroying what little was left of the Resistance. Instead this Supreme Leader, this hot-headed man-child was wasting all their time on searching for a fantasy temple. 

“We are exhausting all our efforts; I assure you,” Hux bowed his head, hoping to hide the disgust he felt inside. 

“You. Assure. Me.” Kylo’s calm voice punched through the still air filling their dark surroundings. 

Where Snoke had adorned his hall with deep reds, Kylo had filled with black emptiness. Everything was dark. Very little light penetrated the room. Everything Snoke had left behind, Kylo Ren had destroyed and removed. 

Oh, he claimed it was the girl who had destroyed it all. But Hux knew the truth. No mere scavenger could deal the damage he had seen with his own eyes. 

In a swift, singular motion, Kylo Ren rose, standing tall and powerful, demanding attention. The Knights on either side seemed to stand even taller, straighter. 

General Hux averted his eyes, hiding his disgust in a mock of fear. 

This man-child had only risen to power after a temper-tantrum, Hux was sure of it. But without proof, he had nothing to overthrow the worthless boy. To add insult to injury, Kylo had brought aboard his precious Knights of Ren. Pathetic. 

“Why is it,” Kylo Ren took slow, silent steps toward him, “you have failed to bring me even one hint of a discovery.” The words bounced around the dark chamber without a hint of emotion. The Supreme Leader gave nothing away; only Hux’s instinct told him he was in for a painful experience. 

“Supreme Leader, I have sent my most-” Hux’s words cut off as the oxygen left his lungs. 

“I tire of your worthless explanations,” Kylo Ren growled. “You should have brought me results long before now.” 

General Hux choked on nothing. His eyes widened in panic, his hands clawing at the space around his neck. He needed oxygen; he needed to breath. 

“Bring me results!” Kylo Ren’s words bounded throughout the chambers, bouncing off the black walls. With a flick of his wrist, Hux lurched forward, stopping just inches from the Supreme Leader. “Or I will replace you with someone who can.” 

*** 

“Another fleet has arrived General Poe,” the resistance fighter burst through the doors, out of breath with excitement. “They’ve answered our call.”

“Excellent!” Poe clapped the man on the back as he raced past him, intent on greeting the latest band of resistance fighters. 

Sunlight struggled to filter through the dense fog-shrouded swamp surrounding the rebel base on Dagobah. It wasn’t the ideal planet for a base but it was the best they could do under the circumstances. Once their numbers were built up again, they could plan a course for a new base, one on a planet with a more reliable climate. 

The rebels had endured a seemingly never-ending rainstorm as they’d struggled to turn the swamp covered surface into a somewhat functioning base. They’d landed the Millennium Falcon in what Poe would hardly call a clearing. It’d taken all their combined efforts to construct temporary shelters and widen the clearing for transport pods to land in. 

So far only three pods had arrived in the three weeks they’d been camping here. 

“General!” A Mon Calamari was the first to step out of a small transport pod. “I bring twenty-three of the best fighters I could round up!”

“Qande Muko!” Poe jogged towards the fighters filing off the pod. “We’ve been expecting you. I trust there were no problems.”

“None at all!” The Mon Calamari replied in a deep but light-hearted tone. “I just regret we weren’t able to arrive sooner.”

Poe’s body tensed as flashbacks assaulted his mind. What he wouldn’t give to have had these numbers, though on the smaller side, with him when the Resistance had been fighting for survival on Crait. 

Countless nights he’d been hounded by the faces he’d never see again. And he only had himself to blame. If General Leia hadn’t stopped him, would Poe have been their downfall?

“Let’s get you all settled in. Captain Marami,” Poe motioned for the young pilot to join them. “Would you show our newest recruits where they can find some food and a drink?”

“Of course, General Poe,” Marami smiled at him and then turned her attention to the newest arrivals. “I know it’s not much to look at but this base…” her voice trailed off as Poe departed. 

“You look like you’re in deep thought,” Rey said as she matched his pace, walking alongside him. 

Poe stopped, turning to face her, letting out a heavy sign. “Is this really it?” he asked with a wide gesture of his arms. “Is this really all that will come?”

Rey’s gaze followed the sweep of his arms, taking in the Millenium Falcon behind them and the small number of rebels going about their business. “Perhaps,” she shrugged, looking back at him. “Perhaps not. Don’t lose hope.”

“Rey! Poe!” Finn dashed towards them, skidding to a halt. His arms flailed before him as if they were struggling to keep up with his sudden change in pace. Behind him, BB-8 followed suit and chirped excitedly. “You’ll never believe what I found!” 

“Tell me it’s something good,” Poe’s voice mirrored a hint of Finn’s eagerness. He couldn’t help it. Finn’s emotions were infectious. 

“There’s this hut,” Finn started, his eyes darting back and forth between his two friends. “It’s small and been abandoned for some time. But it definitely didn’t belong to any natives.”

“Okay but-”

“Show me,” Rey interrupted, her face filled with determination. “Show me the hut.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Well,” Rey’s voice trailed off for a moment as she took in the small hut. “This is not what I expected. 

“I hope your expectations weren’t,” Poe paused and glanced up at the low ceiling they were hunched under, “too high.”

Rey cut him a look as he grinned in spite of himself. 

The small hut had only a few spaces to crawl around in. Rey was the only one of the three of them able to crawl completely inside. Finn had followed her in but couldn’t get beyond the doorway. Poe ended up sticking his upper body through what may have been a window or just the hut falling apart; Rey couldn’t tell, likely a combination of both options. 

To one side there appeared to be what at some point was a kitchen with a cove for a fire pit; the chimney above had since collapsed in. Opposite that, cut into the wall was a space just large enough for a small person or creature to sleep. Nothing else was still intact enough to tell if it had even been something when the hut was inhabited. 

“Who do you think lived here?” Finn asked, picking up what might have been a piece of a clay pot from the floor. 

“Whoever it was, didn’t mind living short on supplies,” Poe swept his arms to either side, pointing out the almost bare living quarters. 

Tossing the clay piece aside, Finn chuckled at the terrible joke. 

“Can I- Can I just have a moment?” Rey turned towards both her friends. They’d been through so much together in such a short period of time but something was telling her to be alone at the moment. “Please?”

Poe and Finn exchanged a look, not missed by Rey.

“Yeah, okay.” Finn replied as he nodded towards Poe, motioning him to meet him back outside. 

Once the pair had left her, Rey sat down in the center of the room on the cold, bare floor of the small hut. 

How many times would she fall for that stupid feeling? The one telling her an answer was just there, a breath away from where she stood. On the island, she’d been sure she would find the answer she sought out. 

You’re nothing. But not to me.

Rey shook the echoing voice from her mind. She’d thought he’d held the answer then, but could she trust him? He was now the Supreme Leader after all. What would possess him to tell her the truth?

“Not now,” a deep voice growled. “Leave!” 

Straightening her shoulders, Rey stood and turned to face him. The center of the hut was the tallest point. Despite her short stature, Rey’s head hit the low ceiling. 

“It’s not the ideal time for me either,” she said. She bent her knees slightly, instead of hunching low. She didn’t want to give any hints of her surroundings to him. 

Kylo Ren was sitting down, where he was, but his head still seemed to touch the low ceiling. Their eyes met. Rey searched for a glimpse of the Ben she had seen only a handful of times. He was still in there; she was sure of it. But his eyes were too well guarded for her to discern anything. 

“I wasn’t talking to you. Where are you?” Kylo looked at the space around her as if trying to fill in the missing picture. 

Rey snorted. “Where are you?” she countered, titling her chin up in challenge. 

For the briefest moment, Rey could have sworn the corner of his mouth twitched into the smallest smirk. It was hardly nothing but it meant so much. It was proof the Ben she knew was still in there. 

“It’s been some time since we’ve talked,” Kylo waved his hand in the space between them, emphasizing the “we” as he said it. “Nearly a month.”

It was true. And a bit odd if Rey were to be honest. They’d gone from talking through their Force connection several times to almost complete radio silence. It’d almost made her believe Snoke had been telling the truth. But each time the thought entered her mind, Rey went back to Crait, seeing him kneeling, so broken, so afraid. 

“How many bases have you snuffed out?” Rey replied coldly. “Being the Supreme Leader must mean it shouldn’t be difficult,” her words dared him to confirm the path he’d chosen for himself. 

After Crait, the Resistance had been left to lick their wounds. It were as if the war had taken an intermission, a small break for both sides to heal from their loses. Though, the First Order had repaired itself in a matter of minutes with Kylo Ren taking on the role as Supreme Leader. Since Crait, though, no more battles had taken place. 

Rey wanted to know why.

“You look tired,” Kylo brushed aside her question with his unusual observation. “More nightmares?”

“None of your business,” Rey grounded out through her clenched jaw. 

His question struck close to home. She wasn’t sleeping well. Nightmares hounded her throughout the night. Nightmares of Kylo Ren and Ben Solo.

“You’re looking at your nightmare, aren’t you?” Kylo leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied her reaction to his question.

“Why you-”

“Rey!” Finn’s voice cut her off. 

Rey was so startled, her body had mixed reactions. Part of her turned to the door where Finn was crawling through, but the other part of her leaned towards Kylo, wanting to throw her intended insult at him. Her feet shuffled back and forth. With her focus on avoiding tripping, Rey missed when exactly the connection with Kylo Ren ended. If she were lucky, it was before her embarrassing little dance. 

“Are you almost done in here?” Finn looked up at her, completely unaware of the conversation which had been taking place with the Supreme Leader himself. “Poe and I were gonna go get some food but we’ll wait for you if you’re not going to be much longer.”

Peeling her gaze away from where Kylo had been sitting, Rey turned back to Finn. “Actually I’m not hungry at the moment. I’ll meet you both back at camp.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to find your way back?”

“It’s not far,” Rey nodded, forcing a smile to reassure him. 

***

The rain had started again. It poured down around Rey like tiny pieces of ice cutting into any exposed skin. It could have batted at her like a whirlwind of boulders and she wouldn’t have noticed. 

Leia is gone.

Tears flowed as the news finally set in, hitting her chest harder than a blaster’s shot. 

“What happened?” Kylo Ren suddenly stood before her. The towering black form should have terrified her but all she felt was lost. 

Rey shook her head, the tears falling as hard as the rain around them. Her hair stuck against her face in a mixture of salty water. Her lips parted but no words formed.

“What happened to-,” Kylo’s voice paused though his tone held no emotion, “to General Leia?”

“She’s dead,” Rey sobbed. The two words escaped her mouth louder than the sound of a Death Star’s blast. They landed between them with the weight of the entire galaxy. 

“Tell me,” Kylo’s hands balled into two tight fists at either side. 

“I don’t- I don’t,” Rey shook her head, trying to clear the muddied thoughts. She’d been there when Leia, her friend, had passed. She’d only just returned from the hut in the swamp when Poe had told her she needed to go see Leia. 

One minute, Leia was taking slow, but strong breaths, and then next… she was gone. Rey had felt the moment she’d gone, the moment she’d taken her last breath. With one last squeeze to Rey’s hands, Leia Organa had passed. It had been peaceful, as Luke’s had been but it didn’t make Rey miss her any less. 

“She’d been unconscious for quite some time,” Rey took a shaky breath and straightened her shoulders, determined to tell him without breaking down. “After only two weeks of being here, Leia told us her time was coming, that her fight was over.” Rey’s hand darted up to brush away fresh tears from her face. The movement was pointless as the torrential rain continued its assault. “She- she said the Resistance no longer needed her leadership. That-” Rey hesitated, not sure if she should inform the Supreme Leader about Poe’s promotion. She was sure she was already saying too much in her emotional state “That someone else would take her place.” 

Dark golden eyes latched onto hers. They were filled with such pain, fear, and loneliness. It was the look he’d had on Crait. Only this time it was those emotions ten-fold. He made no attempt to put his walls up, no attempt to block her from seeing his feelings. 

“Ben-” Rey swallowed. “I’m so sorry.”

“Did she say anything else?” 

Rey’s lips parted as she began to tell him but something inside her hesitated. 

“Rey, I need to talk to you,” General Leia said as she pulled Rey aside. 

Leia had just made her announcement that Poe would take her place as General. The small group that summed up what was left of the Resistance had been shocked. They’d tried to question her but Leia had just shaken her head and smiled that smile so sweet and all knowing. 

The General pulled her aside, into what could only be called a broom closet abroad the Millennium Falcon. 

“I’ve been having a reoccuring dream, ever since Crait,” Leia began. 

“Wh- What?” Rey stuttered. She was still confused by the announcement. She’d assumed General Leia would stay with them long enough to see the Resistance restored to its former numbers at the least. Rey had hoped Leia would still be there to see the First Order brought down for good. And what about the lightsaber? Leia had been helping her understand the Kyber crystal in order for Rey to build her own saber. 

“My son, Ben, there’s still good in him,” Leia began as she grabbed both Rey’s hands with her own. She squeezed her hands to emphasis her words. “I had my doubts, but now I know. I know about your Force Bond, Rey.” 

Shaking her head, Rey struggled to keep up. It was so much information so fast. She needed a quiet moment to process it all. And here was Leia, a woman she’d grown to care for like a mother in such a short amount of time, telling her she would be leaving them soon. 

“It’s nothing,” Rey denied, though her shaking voice betrayed the lie for what it was. 

“No, no,” Leia reached out to cup Rey’s cheek in her hand. “This is good. This is what restored my hope for my son. You will save my Ben.”

“No,” Rey said between clenched teeth. It felt wrong to lie to him. “She just said her time had come.” 

It was as if the words defeated him. Ben Solo fell to his knees with tears in his eyes. Rey watched him as her heart broke in two. She should have told him. She should have told him Leia still believed her son could be saved. Rey should have told him that after everything Kylo Ren had done, Leia not only still saw the light in Ben, but loved him with a mother’s love that couldn’t be denied. 

Time slowed, drawing to a halt. Rey watched each silent, agonizing moment as it unfolded. 

“Then there’s nothing left for me,” he said, his voice a dark storm growing above a deadly turning sea. 

“Ben wait-” Rey lounged forward, reaching out to touch him, to grab him and pull him from the growing darkness. 

But it was too late. Rey watched in horror as Kylo Ren struck down things- or people- invisible to her. His grunts and roars filled the rain drenched air around her. Sparks flew from his lightsaber as each unknown target was destroyed. How long it lasted, Rey couldn’t tell. It felt like hours. She screamed at him, begged him to calm down, to stop hurting whoever crossed his path. 

Finally, as he stood panting, looking down at something Rey couldn’t see, he turned to her. 

Raising his still ignited lightsaber, Kylo pointed it to her. Anger tainted the words as he growled them. “The Resistance will not withstand this loss. You will all be destroyed.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Captain Thanas,” Hux motioned the armored figure over to where he stood gazing out into the galaxy as it sped by. 

“Yes, General?” Her voice sounded confident but there was a rasp to it, like she didn’t drink enough water. Each time she spoke, Hux couldn’t help the small twitch of his brow. The sound of the rasp grated his ears.

“I trust you’ve taken to your new position with ease,” he stated. 

The Captain had finally fallen into her own pace after a month. The first few days after her promotion, Hux feared he’d made a mistake in giving it to her. Though he’d never admit it. His first official act under the new Supreme Leader couldn’t be questioned. Not even by himself. 

“I have, General,” she nodded. Light bounced off her helmet from the motion, hitting Hux in the eye. 

She was trying too hard to be like Captain Phasma, thinking this would earn her the respect her forebearer had possessed. No Captain would ever have the same amount of respect from the Stormtroopers as Phamsa had. Hux was sure of this. Just as he was sure he would never respect another woman as he had Phasma.

At least Thanas didn’t don the same armored uniform Phasma had worn. Hers was a matted black palate as opposed to the shining chrome Phasma loved so much. 

“Do you recall what I told you before I promoted you?” Hux stared out the window once more. He stood with his feet planted firmly to the floor, spread out and his hands clasped behind his back. It was his standard stance; it made him feel in control.

“Of course, General,” Thanas nodded eagerly. 

“Repeat it back to me.”

She hesitated. Hux tightened his fist. Soon would come the day she would never hesitate. Never for him. 

“You said, ‘One day I will demand something from you and without question, you will comply,’ General,” her tone belied her confident demeanor; he could hear the fear.

Hux smirked; he felt almost giddy. “Correct. And as I recall, you agreed to this wholeheartedly,” he turned and stepped closer to her, closing the gap between them. “The time has come, Captain Thanas,” he lowered his voice, and forced his next words to come out gentler, like a caress. “Meet me in my quarters tonight at the shift change. Do not be seen.”

***

“We need to bury the body and-“

“No,” Rey interrupted the Resistance soldier. She didn’t even glance up to see who was speaking. “Leia will not be buried. She should be burned on a pyre.”

Poe nodded in agreement. 

Only a handful of Resistance fighters were gathered around. It wasn’t an official meeting. They’d been sitting down for a bite to eat when the subject came up. 

Finn and Rose had moved closer when they’d overheard the topic, joining in the conversation. Chewie sat next to Rey, adding his occasional comment. 

“But not here,” Rey continued. She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat. “Not on this planet. We’ll take her too Ahch-To.”

Here Poe cleared his throat, causing her to pause. Rey knew what he was going to say even before he said it.

“Rey, it’s too dangerous,” he pleaded to her with his words and his eyes. “Kylo Ren is searching for that planet if he hasn’t already found it. We could-“

“I don’t care,” Rey’s even tone belied her inner turmoil. “I’ll take her there myself on the Falcon. Alone if I must. But Leia’s f-funeral,” Rey swallowed again past the lump forming in her throat, “will be on Ahch-To.”

Poe sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He and Finn exchanged sideways glances.

“We’ll come with you, Rey,” Finn replied, taking Rose’s hand in his to identify who he meant.

“Rey I-“

“I know. The Resistance needs you here, Poe,” Rey stopped him before he could try to explain himself. “We can’t take the entire fleet to Ahch-To.” She tried to smile in reassurance to him but her mouth just twitched, a mockery of a smile. 

Chewie growled, assuring he would fly the Falcon there himself. Rey reached across and squeezed his arm. She didn’t have the energy to try and smile again. 

“Is that all?” General Poe asked. “You, Finn, Rose, and Chewie?” He seemed shocked and slightly offended for such a small number of people accompany the former General. It didn’t seem like very much for the woman who had accomplished so much and touched so many people’s lives.

“There’s work to be done,” Rey replied. “General Leia knew this. She said her goodbyes. She would understand.” 

As the statement left her lips, Rey fought back the wave of emotion rising in her. Leia had said her goodbyes to all her loved ones, except for Ben. She’d left her final words for her son with Rey. And what had she’d done?

Lied. Rey had lied to Ben. 

The mighty Supreme Leader had stood before her, heartbroken and seeking answers. And Rey had lied. 

She wasn’t sure what had possessed her. It just didn’t seem like the proper time. Leia had been so sure Ben would turn from the Dark Side. She’d placed her hope in Rey. 

But Kylo Ren was a conflicted soul. The burden of his mother’s expectations could have been too much for him to handle. Losing his mother had sent him into a rage. What would he have done if he thought Leia expected him to turn away from the path he’d chosen for himself?

Rey would tell him. When Ben was ready to hear it. 

***

A soft knock at the door alerted Hux to her presence. He smirked in spite of himself. Everything was going exactly as planned. 

“Come in,” Hux called out, just loud enough for his voice to carry past the door to his chambers. He’d sent his guards off on a tedious errand to insure the mood was set. 

The only light in his dark chambers came from several flickering candles spread throughout. The majority of them were clustered close to his bed, drawing attention to it. 

“General Hux,” Captain Thanas entered the room reluctantly. 

She seemed small out of uniform. Without the bulky black armor and the standard blaster at her side, Thanas appeared weak and almost sickly. She wore a simple, dark nightgown, the standard garment all First Order females were given to sleep in. Her pale skin was highlighted in the candlelight glow. There were subtle circles under her eyes, hinting at the sleepless nights she’d suffered since her promotion. 

Perfect. 

Hux clutched his hands behind his back. His fist tightened so that his fingernails drew blood and he had to force himself not to bounce in excitement. She was in the exact state he needed her to be in. 

“Please, come in,” Hux motioned her forward and then quickly hide his hand once more when he saw the flash of red blood. 

“Sir, I-”

“Please,” Hux gritted his teeth for the briefest moment, hoping she wouldn’t notice. “Zara,” he forced himself to soften his voice. 

Hearing her first name clearly startled her. She looked at him with guarded but- dare he say- hopeful eyes. 

Captain Thanas still hadn’t moved forward. Hux needed her to stop being such a weak lamb and enter his chambers already. The guards wouldn’t be gone for long. 

“Please don’t be frightened,” Hux said; his tone belied his annoyance. 

“General Hux,” Captain Thanas took a cautious step forward, clearing the doorway. When it slid shut behind her with a hiss, she jumped at the sound. “I am prepared to fulfill my duties as I agreed.” 

“Your only duty was to report here,” Hux tensed as the words left his lips. It was a risk to say, to give up that hold over her so easily, but it was a necessary risk. “Anything afterwards, is up to you.”

He took a few cautious steps towards her. She was almost trembling. It was understandable; Hux had a reputation for being cruel to his subordinates. He needed to show her this was different. 

“Zara, I- I-” he forced himself to swallow and visibly hesitate. “I’ve struggled to summon the needed courage.” 

Captain Thanas’s breathing became labored, a sure sign Hux was doing well so far. 

“Courage for what, General?” She took a cautious step towards him, then another. 

Good.

Hux looked away and bowed his head low. He’d seen Kylo Ren assume this position when trying to act submissive to the former Supreme Leader. Sometimes it succeeded in avoiding a torment through the Supreme Leader’s Force power, but most of the time it didn’t. 

Hux needed this to come across as sincere. Kylo was weak and idiotic. Hux knew how to manipulate. He could do it better than some conflicted man-child. 

Taking a deep breath, Hux raised his gaze to meet her wide, muddy brown eyes. “The courage to admit how I feel towards you, Zara.” 

“G- General,” Zara sputtered as her cheeks flushed. “That’s entirely inappropriate!” And yet she took a step towards him anyways. Her words hadn’t even held any command. 

Really, she was rather worthless as a Captain. She was no Phasma. Phasma thrived on power and control as much if not more than even Hux did. Their greed for it solidified their relationship. They’d spent nights scheming ways to rid themselves of the nuisance Kylo Ren and plotting which system of the galaxy should be targeted next. Phasma shared her method of luring new recruits to add to her number of Stormtroopers. Hux shared stories of how he’d grown to his current rank. 

It was not love between Phasma and Hux. Love was for fools like Thanas standing before him. No, Phasma and Hux shared the bond of power, control, lust, and respect. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

And then that traitor! That traitor came and destroyed months of plotting the perfect plan! That stupid boy should have died the moment he helped the rebel pilot escape. He’d taken Phasma from him, for that the traitor would die; Hux would make sure of it. 

Now he had to construct an entirely new plan. Kylo Ren needed to be killed off. Without Phasma, and with Ren’s new title of Supreme Leader unrightly bestowed upon him, Hux was forced to plot and scheme on his own, not trusting anyone to take Phasma’s place. 

“General Hux?” Thanas’s grating voice pulled him from his train of thoughts. 

“I-I’m so sorry, Zara,” he sighed and looked away, hoping to compose himself. He had to be focused for this act to succeed. “You’re right,” he stepped towards her, leaving a small gap between them. But still he didn’t look up. He was the picture of an unsure, nervous man. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

Glancing up, Hux locked onto her gaze. Her eyes were filled with foolish hope. Her breathing was labored and her tongue darted out to lick her chapped lips. 

“You couldn’t help yourself?” Her hand reached up, as if to touch him, but then dropped back to her side. “I- I,” her tongue dragged across her lips again. “I would be lying, General, if I hadn’t thought of this myself.”

Hux leaned towards her, encouraging Thanas to say the words he’d planned for. 

“It would be wrong though, sir.” Her eyes darted to his lips and then back up again. “If the Supreme Leader found out…”

Hux flinched at the title Kylo Ren had taken. The man-child didn’t deserve it. It belonged to Hux.

Mistaking his flinch for something other than annoyance, Thanas shuffled closer. They were so close now, her tits kept brushing against his chest. Hux forced himself not to back away. 

“He wouldn’t have to know,” Thanas breathed. She raised herself up on tip-toes, begging with her closeness for Hux to kiss her. 

He hated the idea of tasting any part of this woman. But when his plan unfolded and he was Supreme Leader at last, he could just kill Thanas and forget all about this. 

Wrapping his arms around her, Hux kissed her. He pulled her body roughly against his own. Thanas moaned into his mouth, submitting to him completely. No matter how soft Hux could force his words to be, sex would never be soft. Sex was about control and power. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

*** 

Rey sat alone on a fallen tree, fiddling with her newly constructed lightsaber. With Leia’s help, Rey had succeeded in using one of the halves of the kyber crystal inside the saber. She’d modelled it after her staff, salvaging parts for the hilt as she had for the quarterstaff. She’d consider using the staff itself but a part of her couldn’t destroy it. Instead, she packed it away on the Falcon. 

The large hilt had been easy for her to build around the crystal. Leia had mostly instructed her on how the crystal actually worked and how it powered a Jedi’s lightsaber. 

It’d taken some time but the end result filled Rey with joy each time she looked at it. The hilt was longer than a typical lightsaber, about twice the size of Luke’s old hilt. When ignited, at either end flaming blue blades shot out, turning the lightsaber into a weapon as long as her beloved staff. 

While Luke’s old lightsaber had been easy to adjust to, Rey’s lightsaber felt right, solid, like an extension of herself. 

On Dagobah, the rain had finally stopped hounding the makeshift rebel base. Around her, everyone buzzed with activity. 

Finn and Chewie were loading some supplies aboard the Falcon. The other Resistance fighters were running around packing things into the few transport ships that had been able to land in the dense swamp. Just outside the planet’s atmosphere, a larger ship supplied by one of the admirals who’d responded to Leia’s distress signal, waited to take the others to their new base. 

Rey hadn’t paid close enough attention to learn all the names or even the faces of the newcomers. A few faces she’d recognize from passing throughout daily routines, but mostly she stuck to herself when not talking to one of her friends. 

It felt odd to try and connect to these people when she was hiding such a big secret as being able to communicate with the Supreme Leader through the Force. 

Rey looked back towards the Falcon. General Leia’s body had already been carefully loaded into the ship. 

Not long now. Soon they’d put the General to rest for the last time. 

“Here,” Poe’s voice pulled Rey’s attention away from the depressing thought. He was handing Finn a small homing beacon, the one Leia had given Rey what felt like years ago. “We plan to ship out of here in the next day or two,” Poe continued. “We need a more reliable planet to set up a proper base. Myself and the other leaders have narrowed down our options to just three different planets. This will guide you to whichever we finally choose.”

Finn nodded as he took the device. Behind him, BB-8 came rolling down the ship’s ramp, beeping rapidly. Rey chuckled at what the little droid was saying to Poe.

“There’s no one else I’d trust but you,” Poe laughed as he replied to BB-8.

“What-” 

Before Finn had a chance to ask his question, Poe explained.

“BB-8 says he’s going with you. Last time you and Rose went somewhere without me, you nearly got yourselves killed.”

Finn glanced down at the droid, clearly offended they thought he needed a bodyguard.

“We’re ready to go,” Rose announced, following the droid down the ramp.

At this, Rey shoved her saber into the holster belted around her thigh. She found it rested better there than at her hip since it was longer in size than Luke’s had been. 

Standing up, Rey felt a wave of uneasiness pass through her, a sense of foreboding. As quickly as it came, it passed. 

Last time she’d traveled to Ahch-To she’d been filled with hope and purpose. Now, she felt as if she stood on the edge of a cliff and couldn’t see what waited for her at the bottom, what waited for her on Ahch-To.


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order, had everything, all the power in the galaxy. His throne room surrounding him echoed with his power. The red curtains had been replaced with black and he’d refused any replacement guards. Unlike Snoke, he didn’t need them and he enjoyed the solitude. Occasionally, when he was expecting someone, he’d have two of his Knights stand on either side of the throne. Mainly when Hux requested an audience. Kylo knew how much the General despised the Knights of Ren. 

It hadn’t taken long to repair the damage to the ship. People tended to work faster when you threatened them with their lives. Repairs and modifications had been made in less than two weeks. While laborers had focused their efforts on construction, Kylo had sent out fleets across the galaxy, looking for any hints of the planet, of the island. 

He’d seen the island in her mind. It’d shocked him for it was the same island he had dreamed about. How could she know of it?

But of course, the Force had done many a curious things. For some reason it had connected them, not Snoke. Kylo was sure of this. The real question was how long had they been connected? 

They’d both seen the island in their dreams. If Kylo searched his memory deep enough, he’d seen her before, in a dream or perhaps a nightmare. But he’d seen her before. However, he didn’t dare dig too far into that dark corner of his mind. 

The island had to be where Luke had been hiding. It had to be. And with Luke gone, maybe there were answers left for Kylo to find. 

If only he could find the damn island. The girl had found it, shouldn’t he be able to? They were connected through the Force but what good did that connection do him if not to give him answers?

“Supreme Leader,” the unexpected interruption startled Kylo from his thoughts. It was rare anyone would dare to enter his throne room without a previously submitted request.

He stared at the ridiculous excuse for a Captain standing before him. What had possessed Hux to promote such a creature, Kylo would never understand. Most likely he just wanted a fuck toy to replace Phasma. 

“There’s news,” she continued as if she hadn’t been expecting a response during the extended pause. 

Kylo glared at her. Did he have to drag the information out of her? 

“We’ve discovered a base of operations on the planet Dagobah,” she concluded.   
“Send a fleet,” Kylo ordered and dismissed her with a wave of his hands. 

It was pointless to keep chasing around what little was left of the Resistance at this point. The petty squabble between the First Order and the Resistance wasn’t enough to concern him anymore. The rebels would eventually wither away. Especially without General Leia to command them. 

“Supreme Leader,” Captain Thanas persisted. “The scavenger girl was spotted with them.”

Kylo’s hands balled into fists at either side where they rested on his throne. His jaw clenched as tightly as his fist, his body humming with suppressed energy. 

“What concern of that is mine,” he kept his voice even, burying his undefined emotions.

“General Hux believed this would spark your interest,” her voice cracked with uncertainty. Hux had obviously instilled some confidence within his lap dog only to have her wither at the first sign of the Supreme Leader’s anger. 

“He was wrong,” the words came out through his teeth like a wild creature’s snarl. “Send the fleet.”

Captain Thanas left without another word. Which was for the best. Kylo doubted he could hold his anger in check for much longer.

How dare Hux persum such a stupid, ridiculous notion. Kylo had once been obsessed with finding the girl, true. But he was the Supreme Leader now. The General had no right to question him or his motives. 

Of course Hux didn’t respect him as the Supreme Leader; he desired the title for himself. Kylo had assumed it would take the man longer than this to orchestrate a mutiny. Even if he wasn’t attempting one at this moment, Hux was growing bolder with each passing day. 

It was just a matter of time now. 

Pressing a button on the right arm of the throne, Kylo summoned one of his Knights. Within moments the man entered the chambers like a black, silent fiend. 

“Summon the others,” Kylo ordered. “Their presence is required sooner than I originally thought.”

***

The island was much the same as she’d left it, Rey discovered. Cute Porgs ran about, chittering happily to one another. The Caretakers paused to throw several judgemental looks to Rey but turned their attention back to their work, muttering to one another as they did so.   
The island was the same but everything else had changed so much in such a short amount of time. 

Rey had changed. 

“Who are those things?” Finn asked. His sudden appearance next to her, dragged Rey from her train of thoughts. 

She squinted at the Caretakers and looked back at her friend. “Caretakers of the Jedi Temple. They don’t like me much.”

“Really?” Finn sounded surprised, glancing between her and the Caretakers chattering away to one another. “I can’t imagine why.”

Rey shrugged her shoulders. She had an idea but didn’t feel like sharing at the moment. 

Finn cleared his throat, unsure of a proper transition. “Where- where do you want to build the pyre?” 

Reaching out, Rey pointed towards the top on the mountain, where the temple was. “That ledge up there,” Rey said. 

It was the same ledge she’d sat for her first lesson. And she was sure it was where Luke had sat while projecting himself to Crait. It was where Leia would be properly burned. 

“Right,” Finn nodded, not understanding the significance but trusting her all the same. “Chewie and I will collect what we need to build it. Try to get some rest until then, yeah?”

Rey nodded through her exhaustion though she had no plans to rest. Not just yet. 

The climb up the mountain was just as long as she remembered but this time she was so tired she wasn’t sure if she would make it to the top. Thankfully Chewie and Finn were building the pyre. Rey didn’t have the emotional or physical strength to handle the task. She barely had the strength to climb the steep stairs. 

The temple was just as she remembered. 

Empty. Dark. Cold. 

But there was also the hum of an energy, a force. It felt stronger now, somehow, than before. 

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Rey glanced up at the ceiling where droplets of water were leaking through, hinting at a recent rain. The drops landed in the puddle covering the mosaic tile artwork on the temple’s floor. Rey had seen it when she’d been here before but she’d never truly looked out it until now. 

In the middle of the large circle sat a man like being with a large forehead, holding an ignited lightsaber. The design was split down the middle, one side of the man white, the other side black. On his darker side, the background was white with a small black circle in the middle. The other side was inverted in coloring. 

As she studied the design, the humming around her grew louder, high pitched voices rising and falling, but always too far away to understand. The wind swept up around her, pulling at her hair and russling her garments. 

“Rey,” the name was said so softly it mingled in with the other voices around her. But this voice was familiar. It’s dark tone had been branded in her mind from long ago. With it, silence descended around the temple as if someone had suddenly silenced a room of speakers. 

Turning on her heels, Rey came face to face with the Supreme Leader himself. He stood so still, so tight lipped, Rey was unsure it had been him saying her name. Maybe she’d imagined it. 

“How-” the question was on the tip of her tongue, to ask him how he was doing. But it felt to intimate of an inquiry with him standing there like a closed off statue. “How are we still connected?” she asked instead. 

Kylo Ren glared back at her, giving no signs he had even heard the question. The silence stretched on. It was as if the very temple around them was holding its breath, waiting. 

“Does it matter?” he responded at last. He kept his voice even, devoid of any emotion. 

“Yes,” Rey replied truthfully. The word sprang forward from her lips without even a second thought. 

Kylo’s eyes glanced all around her, trying to fill in the space he couldn’t see. “What have you done with General Leia’s remains?” 

The question was a kick to the gut. Rey had expected him to ask eventually. But she hadn’t expected to encounter him before Leia’s funeral. 

“We’re to burn her body upon a pyre,” she answered. She eyed him closely, waiting for some sort of reaction. 

He swallowed, nodding his head as if this were the answer he expected. “Where?”

“You know I can’t tell you,” Rey regretted the answer. It didn’t seem right. Ben should be there for his mother’s funeral, no matter how rocky their relationship had been. But she couldn’t put her friends at risk; it wouldn’t be right. 

They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity. His dark eyes revealed nothing of the thoughts behind them. The man before her didn’t move, didn’t even flinch. But the connection between them, some force bonding them, sizzled with energy. 

If she hadn’t been eyeing him so intently, she would have assumed he spoke out loud. But his lips didn’t move.

“Please,” it was a singular, simple word. But the raw emotion riding it, hit Rey like a wave of cold water crashing into her entire body. 

“Ben,” Rey took a cautious step towards him. “I wish I could but I can’t trust you.”

“You. Can’t. Trust. Me,” each word was accentuated with a heavy footfall as he walked towards her. Eyeing her, he seemed to read something on her face. “Why?”

“You know why,” she snarled, hating her emotions for causing her to tear up. “You betrayed my trust-”

“You betrayed me!” he bellowed, cutting her off. “I offered everything - EVERYTHING- to you, and you betrayed me!”

“You know that’s not what happened!” she charged towards him, yelling the words in his face. “You wanted me to turn, to abandon everyone I love for- for POWER!” she spat the word out like a hot coal. 

Kylo shook his head, glaring down at her. “I offered you everything.” His voice was just a whisper, a sharp contrast to what it had been moments ago. “And you left me, alone.”

Rey blinked back her tears as his words hit her like a slap to the face. She’d hadn’t considered what his offer meant to him. She’d seen it as a betrayal to herself and her friends. She would never- could never- join the darkside.

“I never asked you to join the Darkside.”

When Rey looked into his eyes, Ben stared back at her. The dark abyss they had once been was now a molting deep brown freckled with gold specks. Had he truly meant something else when he'd asked her to join him? Had he really meant they would start something new, something different?

“Ben-” whatever words she meant to say, disappeared with a whoosh of wind, taking both the words and the man himself from her. 

Rey was left blinking at the empty space he had occupied. Nothing in the temple even hinted at his former presence. Instead, she was alone, left with only the dripping of the water droplets to break the silence. 

***

“It’s not much but it’s the best we could do, considering,” Rose stood next to Rey.

The small group of Resistance fighters had gathered around the funeral pyre. The base had been made of stone since the island didn’t offer many wooden logs. What little wood they had found, they’d arranged around the General’s body. The wood criss-crossed, creating a barrier between Leia and the outside world, but with pockets of space here and there so they could still see her. 

Rey nodded, unable to voice any of her thoughts. 

Night had descended upon the island while the funeral had been prepared. The only light came from the moon above and the torch in Chewie’s hands. The end was already ignited, waiting for the moment to set the pyre aflame. 

General Leia looked completely at peace. Her body lay upon its stone bed with a dignity only Leia could achieve after death. 

“She looks so peaceful,” Rose sighed, leaning into Finn on her other side. 

Rey nodded, agreeing. General Leia’s death had been peaceful. She’d known her time had come; she’d made the proper preparations. But Rey hadn’t been ready to let go. She’d grown to love the woman like a mother she never had. 

It’s your greatest weakness.

Closing her eyes against the words, Rey took a deep breath. What did Kylo know about searching for a family? He’d had one and thrown it away. Loving others like the family she never had was not a weakness. 

Chewie growled his final goodbyes, lowering the torch to set Leia’s body aflame. 

“May the Force be with you,” Rey echoed his words. Distantly, she heard the others doing the same, even BB-8. But she couldn’t take her eyes off Leia. The warmth of the flames engulfing her, highlighted her beauty. 

Rey couldn’t be sure how long she stood there, watching Leia slowly reduce to ash. The wind picked up the ashes, spreading them across the sacred island. It was long enough that she spent all the tears she had, leaving her cheeks with dried, salty streaks. Long enough, the others, besides Chewie, left the two of them in peace. 

Chewie stood next to her, a solid wall of warmth blocking out the chill in the air.

“I’ll miss her too,” Rey responded to his soft growls. 

Giving her a hug, Chewie quietly reminded her that Leia would always be with them. Hugging him back, Rey nodded. 

“Thank you.”

They gave each other a final squeeze before Chewie left her alone with the smoldering embers. 

“It’s done then,” Kylo suddenly stood before her, just on the other side of the funeral pyre. 

“Yes,” Rey swallowed past the lump in her throat. Her eyes pricked with fresh tears though she had been sure she’d cried herself dry. 

“I didn’t have the chance to say goodbye,” his voice was low and apathetic as he stared at the space between them. He could have been talking about saying goodbye to a passing stranger for all the emotion he revealed. 

“Your mother loved you, Ben.”

His eyes snapped to attention, grabbing her gaze with an unrelenting hold. “How would you know?” It was a challenge more than a question. 

“She- she told me so,” Rey threw back her shoulders, squaring up to him. “She still saw the light in you.”

Kylo shook his head, whether in denial or disbelief, Rey couldn’t be sure. Taking her chance, Rey rounded the stone pyre to stand before him.

“Ben, come home,” the words were just a breath. Rey couldn’t even be sure what had possessed her to say them. 

“Home,” Ben said the word as if he’d never heard it before, unsure of its meaning. 

“Let me help you.” 

Without a second thought to the danger she was putting herself and her friends in, Rey offered her his hand once more. She’d made a promise to Leia, to help her son. And here, where she’d started her training, where Luke had given himself back to the Force, where Leia had been put to rest, here felt right. Here was were Ben could begin to heal. 

His eyes were unreadable but his body hummed with excitement as he reached out towards her with an ungloved hand. They held each other’s gaze, unsure of what would come this time. 

Ben’s fingertips pressed against hers with a solid warmth combating with her chilled skin. 

Meet me here. 

The unspoken words were projected from Rey’s mind to his with an image of the island and her current location. Ben didn’t say anything but she felt the absolute resolve in him. He would come to Ahch-To. He would meet her there. 

And then?

“I don’t know,” he replied out loud. His uncertain words echoed around her as he faded away. 

What had she done? What had possessed her to do such a foolish, spontaneous thing? 

Rey’s heart thudded in her chest with both fear and excitement. She’d just revealed her location to the Supreme Leader of the First Order. And he was coming here, where she and her friends were almost defenseless. 

“Chewie!” Rey called out as she raced through the temple. The Wookie wasn’t to far ahead of her, having just departed moments ago. “Chewie!” she yelled again to stop him from descending any further. 

He called out, concerned. 

“You all need to leave, now!”


	5. Chapter 5

“Chewie,” Rey stopped just short of running into the Wookie towering over her. “Gather the others. You all have to leave, now!”

She dashed passed the Wookie, nearly losing her footing on the steep, stone steps. Ignoring his questioning growls, Rey half ran, half stumbled down the mountain side. 

Finn and Rose jumped to attention when she bounded into the light of the fire where they were preparing some kind of meal. 

“What-”

“You have to leave,” Rey interrupted Finn’s question. Her chest was heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. The run hadn’t been physically straining, not compared to what she had endured before. But her nerves were standing on end, causing her body to react in a panic mode. She’d only experienced these panic attacks a handful of times in her life. Mostly they rose from fear. But there was a small part of her that buzzed with anxious excitement.

“What are you talking about?” Rose asked, concern evident in her voice. Beside her, Finn looked around as if bracing for an attack. 

What was Rey supposed to say? How could she explain Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader, and the Resistance’s greatest enemy, was coming to the island because she had invited him? 

“Uh-” Rey opened her mouth, hoping an answer would present itself. She’d never lied to her friends and she didn’t want to lie to them now. But if the Resistance discovered her connection to the leader of the First Order, how could they ever trust her again? 

“What’s going on?” Finn took a step towards her after concluding there was no immediate threat about to jump out at them. 

Chewie finally caught up, grumbling under his breath. 

“I need you all to just trust me,” Rey answered. 

“Tell us what’s going on,” Finn insisted with a firm look in his eyes. 

She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. It would take too long to convince them to leave her here while Kylo Ren was on his way. 

“There’s no time to explain!” Rey brushed past Finn to grab his bag and start loading it back up with a few supplies scattered around the campsite. “You all need to leave.”

“Rey,” Rose reached out and placed her hand on Rey’s arm, stopping her midaction. “We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s going on.”

Biting her bottom lip, Rey searched her mind for an explanation that wasn’t the full truth but wasn’t a lie. 

She needed to stall.

“I promise to explain everything but, please, you must leave!” She pleaded, looking at each of them in turn. 

Chewie responded first. He wasn’t happy about it, but he trusted Rey. Grabbing Finn’s bag from her, Chewie began loading back up the supplies. 

“Wait, no,” Finn darted forward attempting to stop the Wookie. “No! We are not just gonna leave you here.”

“Finn,” Rose warned him to stop with the single word. 

“This is- this is crazy!” Finn spun around, alternating his attention between Rose and Rey. 

“Finn please,” Rey took a step towards her best friend. “I need you to trust me.”

Several moments passed in silence. 

“Answer one question, honestly, and I will,” Finn straightened his shoulders as he glared down at her with a mixture of distrust and concern. 

“Fine. What?” Rey relented. 

“Are you in danger?” 

Rey opened her mouth to answer but hesitated a moment. 

Was she in danger? If she looked at it from her friends’ point of view, she was in grave danger. They would think her borderline suicidal. 

I don’t know. 

Ben had answered her truthfully. He didn’t know what would happen when he met her on Ahch-To. But if Rey were being honest, if any of her instincts had even thought she’d be in danger by inviting Ben here, she wouldn’t have done it. She’d refused him before when he’d originally asked to attend his mother’s funeral. But something, something Rey couldn’t quite explain, had changed. Something had shifted. 

“No,” Rey answered with a conviction that surprised even her. “I’m not.”

Finn watched her, scrutinizing her body language. Finally, he sighed, running his hand over his face. 

“Fine,” Finn grumbled. “We’ll leave. But BB-8 stays.”

The group all glanced down at the droid who happily beeped in agreement. 

“When we reach Poe and the others, we’ll radio BB-8 and check in,” Finn continued. “If anything, anything,” Finn stepped back towards Rey to emphasize his words, “happens before then, you radio us.”

“Nothing will happen, Finn,” Rey tried to reassure him but the doubt in his eyes never faded. 

Finn threw his hands up in the air, mumbling under his breath how he couldn’t believe he was agreeing to this. 

Rose touched Rey’s arm, drawing her attention away from the pacing man. “Are you sure about this?” Her eyes were filled with concern. It made Rey feel guilty for withholding the truth. But she’d meant what she said; she’d explain it all, or as much as she could. Later. 

“I’m sure,” Rey squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, anchoring herself in her determination. 

Whatever was to happen, Rey was prepared to face it. She was sure of that. 

***

Once more Kylo Ren summoned one of his Knights of Ren. This time, the brief pause between his summons and the knight appearing before him seemed to drag on far too long. 

“Bring me Admiral Shane,” Kylo stood, flexing his gloved fingers in and out of fists. “And prepare my ship.”

The Knight nodded and turned to exit the room; not even his footsteps made a noise as he departed. 

Alone, Kylo paced back and forth several times until he realized what he was doing. Kylo Ren didn’t pace. Kylo Ren didn’t get nervous or feel anxious. 

With the press of a different button on his throne, one of the black curtains slide open revealing the galaxy, vast and empty. 

“You summoned me, Supreme Leader?” Admiral Shane’s voice rang throughout the throne room confident and clear. 

“Join me,” Kylo replied. He stood facing out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. 

Admiral Shane was a tall and slender man, though not quite as tall as Kylo. He was older, already past his prime. He’d seen his share of battle but now he mostly stayed back, off the frontline. His skills lied in planning attacks. Kylo took advantage of the man’s cunning mind and lower status to complete tasks he’d rather not draw attention to. 

“Sir?” he prompted, joining Kylo to look out the large window. 

“How is the research going?” Kylo asked casually. 

“Nearly complete, sir.” 

“Good,” Kylo continued to stare out at the stars. Occasionally an asteroid would pass nearby but never close enough to hit them; their shields made sure of that. “Destroy all the evidence and your findings.”

“But sir-”

“Everything I need is in your mind,” Kylo continued as if the Admiral had not spoken. “You’re dismissed.”

***

“Hux,” Captain Thanas said his name in a breathy moan. 

The sound curled his lips into a snarl. Wrapping his hand around her throat, Hux pulled her back, flush against him. “What did I tell you to call me?” He growled the question as he rammed himself in and out of her body. 

“Oh,” Thanas moaned like a disgusting animal beneath him. “Master,” she released the title with a whimper. 

Phasma had refused to call Hux by such a title. Instead, she didn’t call him anything at all, not wanting to build up any familiarity between them.

Pulling back, Hux finished, spilling his seed on Thanas’s ass. She signed happily as the warmth hit her. 

Hux bite back a snarl of disgust at her womanly display of ease in his presence. Running a hand through his hair, Hux grabbed a nearby cloth and cleaned her off, not wanting her to get any filth on his bed. Once he’d done so, Thanas rolled over onto her back, revealing her fully nude form. She watched him as he gathered his clothes and dressed. 

She wasn’t unpleasant to look at. For a fuck toy, Hux could have done much worse. He just hated her and all her emotional weaknesses. Though, it was because of those weaknesses he could so easily manipulate her and use her for his plan. 

“Zara,” he tried his best to give her a pleasant smile. It was less difficult after releasing some of his anger through sex. “You never told me how your meeting with the Supreme Leader went.” Hux tried to sound casual even though he’d been on edge, wanting to know. He could have delivered the message to Kylo Ren himself but he needed to have the Captain directly interact with Ren. It was a test. If she passed, Hux was right on track. If she failed, he’d replace her but lose precious time. 

“He claimed to have no interest in that scavenger girl you talked about,” Thanas yawned and lazily ran her fingers through her long, brown hair. Just moments before, Hux had tangled his hand in the locks, forcing her head back to expose her neck. He’d imagined it sliced open, blood running down her pale skin. “But he snarled at me, saying you were wrong.”

Hux smirked; he’d been right. The so called Supreme Leader was still in awe of a lanky, weak girl. No doubt Ren was thinking with his cock. He’d probably only ever been laid a handful of times in his life. The longer a man went without sex, the less he could think logically. But Ren’s lack of a sex life certainly worked in Hux’s favor. 

“All the same, he ordered a fleet be sent to Dagobah,” the Captain didn’t seem too thrilled with the Ren’s orders. 

“Do you think he should have left the Resistance alone?” Another test. 

“Ha!” Thanas barked out a laugh. The sound was like a rusty dagger dragged over metal. “Of course not!” She grinned looking up at him with an evil glint in her eyes; the look was enough to cause his cock to twitch in interest. “The Supreme Leader should have led the charge himself and slaughtered those rebel scums. 

***

“Rey?” Finn’s voice crackled through the radio transmission. “Rey are you there?”

BB-8 rolled over to where Rey was sitting, crossed-leg on the ledge, looking out to the waters surrounding the island. The sun had risen, bringing with in a warm and pleasant morning. She’d dozed off and on throughout the few remaining hours of the night. But she’d been so anxious waiting for something to happen, she couldn’t deeply sleep. 

With a small smile to the droid, Rey took the transmitter. 

“I’m here,” she replied calmly. 

“Are you okay?” His voice was urgent, like he’d been worried since the moment they’d left her. Of course he had. It was Finn after all.

“Yes,” she replied. Her eyes scanned the horizon, looking for any hits of an incoming ship. 

“Tell us what’s going on,” Finn’s voice came through calmer, less on edge. 

“Who all is ‘us’?” Rey picked at a piece of lint on her pants. 

“Uh,” Finn paused. Rey imagined him looking around at the others to confirm everyone who was there next to him. “Rose, Poe, and me.”

Rey took a shaky breath. She couldn’t stall much longer. “That’s all?” 

“Yes,” Finn sounded confused. “Chewie’s helping unload some supplies off the Falcon.”

Rey closed her eyes, searching for a strength within her to handle the consequences this confession would bring. 

“Ben is on his way to Ahch-To,” she said the words calmly, evenly, hoping it would ease the tension of the statement. 

“B-Ben?”

“You mean Kylo Ren?” Poe yelled over Finn’s confusion, shock and horror evident in his words. 

BB-8 chittered next to her, rolling around in small circles. The droid wasn’t happy with her either. 

“What!” Finn echoed Poe’s tone once he realized who she was actually talking about. “We’re coming back-”

“No!” Rey’s voice was even but firm. 

The radio transmitter was silent for several heart beats. Even BB-8 stayed quiet. 

“Rey,” Poe sighed, using the diplomatic voice he used with the other Resistance leaders. “Talk to us. What’s going on?”

“Ben is coming here. He won’t harm me-”

“Why do you keep calling him Ben?” Finn’s voice cut through the radio. Whether he was appalled or impressed, Rey couldn’t be sure. Most likely appalled. After all, he’d only know him as Kylo Ren, the person Finn had seen commit multiple atrocities; he’d even been a victim of Kylo’s rage. All three of them had. Only Rose hadn’t personally encountered him. 

“Because that’s his name,” Rey snapped back. “He wants to say goodbye to his mother.”

“Wh- How do you know that?” Finn asked. Rey pictured him with his eyebrows drawn down low and his mouth slightly opened. It was a look she’d seen on him several times whenever he was confused. 

Her words had been a mistake. She could have played off knowing Ben was coming by letting them think it had something to do with her Force abilities. But no. Instead she had to go and let it slip that she’d talked to him. 

“He told me,” Rey relented. 

“You’ve talked to him!” It was more of an accusation than a question. 

BB-8 rolled back in shock, too shocked to beep more questions. 

Poe and Finn were talking over each other while Rose tried to calm the two down. 

She couldn’t blame them. Not really. They didn’t know Ben like she did. The last they’d known, Kylo Ren had proclaimed himself Supreme Leader and tried to wipe them all off the surface of Crait. She hadn’t told them about the fight in the throne room; she’d been unsure how’d they’d take it. Though now she wished she had. Maybe then they would understand the current situation better. Maybe they too would realize there was still good in Ben. 

“Please, just-”

“Rey,” Poe’s voice cut through the noise. His tone silenced everyone once more. “Have you decided to join him, then? Are you on his side?” 

Rey’s heart thudded in her chest, hard and fast. Just the thought of joining the First Order made her want to lash out at the nearest rock and split it in two. 

“No,” she swallowed down her anger. She wasn’t angry at them, just the thought of it. “I swear- I swear to you all, I haven’t joined the Darkside. I would never, could never betray any of you like that.” 

No one responded for several beats.

“I had to ask,” Poe sighed. “Your betrayal would have meant the Resistance was compromised.”

“Now that we’ve established she isn’t dark,” Finn cut in, his words dripping with annoyance. “Can we please discuss the fact that you’ve been talking to the Supreme Fucking Leader?” he was yelling by the end of his question. 

Rey knew he would be upset with her once he found out about her connection to Ben. But she hadn’t expected to hear the betrayal in Finn’s voice. 

Before Rey could respond, a ship appeared far off over the ocean. It raced towards her, towards the island. 

“He’s here,” Rey said, mostly to herself but the others heard her. 

Ben’s black command shuttle was flying low, just above the water’s surface. As it shot towards her, waves flew up on either side, leaving a visible trail behind the ship. 

“Rey!” Poe’s shouting sounded far away, like he was yelling at her through a tunnel. “Don’t do this! You need to get out of there!”

“We need to go after her!”

“By the time we got there, it would be too late.”

“Then what are we supposed to do? Listen to Kylo Ren kill her?”

The three of them arguing sounded too far away for Rey to be able to fully process their words. All she could do was watch the approaching ship. Her blood raced through her veins in both fear and excitement. 

“Rey! REY!” 

The ship landed on a rocky ledge, not far from the temple. She could see it clearly from up on the ledge.

“He’s here,” Rey whispered again. 

“Don’t do this, Rey!” Poe shouted. Or maybe it was Finn this time. “Get out of there!”

The ship’s door opened, letting out plumes of steam. Just behind the smoke, a dark figure emerged. 

“Ben.”


	6. Chapter 6

“What the fuck is going on!” Finn shouted. 

Rey had gone silent. Apparently giving the radio transmitter back to BB-8. She wasn’t answering any of their questions. Instead, the little droid was beeping in shrill tones through the radio. Only, Finn didn’t understand any of the beeps. So whether the droid was talking to Rey or to them or telling them Kylo Ren was slaughtering their friend right then and there, Finn had no clue.

“Finn, calm down,” Rose said as she placed a hand on his arm, halting his frantic pacing. 

“Calm down? Calm down! How am I supposed to calm down when Kylo Ren is about to kill Rey. And apparently she’s okay with this because she made us leave. She promised us she wasn’t in danger. How-”

“Finn,” Poe cut off Finn’s rant with an authoritative voice. 

They were gathered in an empty room, not yet filled with any supplies. If Finn could even call the dirty cave-like structure a room. 

They’d met up with the rest of the Resistance on Ashaho, an old mining planet that had been abandoned since the First Order had stripped it of all its natural resources. The only inhabitants of the planet now, were native animals. At night, creatures howled back and forth to one another but Finn and the others had never actually seen the animals during the day. The night watch claimed to see large, dark forms moving about, too far away to really see. But they swore they could see glowing red eyes watching the base.

“We need to think this through,” Poe said after several silent moments. “Rey is smart,” he mumbled the words as if thinking out loud. 

“She wouldn’t betray us to the First Order,” Rose jumped in. She was the calmest of the three. It was one of the many things Finn loved about her, her ability to remain cool and focused during a crisis. Unlike himself. She balanced him.

“She’s been talking to Kylo Ren though…” Poe’s voice trailed off, his eyebrows drawn low as he stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Why? How?”

Poe looked at either of them in turn, seeking answers they couldn’t provide. 

“For how long?” Rose voiced another question, adding to the growing list. 

“She’s still our friend,” Finn sighed as he ran a hand over his face and shuffled his weight from foot to foot. “We need to do something.”

Poe was already shaking his head. “BB-8, talk to me,” Poe spoke to the droid through the radio transmitter. 

Several beeps of various pitches and lengths rang out in the bare room. 

“What’d he say?” Finn asked as soon as BB-8 paused. 

“Kylo Ren arrived on the island seemingly by himself. Rey’s waiting for him in the temple but she hasn’t drawn her saber. Apparently she seems more excited than afraid,” Poe’s voice sounded just as confused as Finn felt. 

“What the actual fuck is going on?” 

***

“Ben,” Rey felt a wave of relief flood through her veins. 

He was here. He was actually here. There had been a hole in her heart she hadn’t realized was empty until this moment. She’d thought she’d lost him, so sure he had given himself completely over to the Dark.

Yet there he was. Standing like a black tower just outside his ship. It didn’t even take a heartbeat for his gaze to land on her, freezing her in place. Even from this distance, his eyes could cut through her. 

“Rey,” his voice, so deep, carried across the distance between them. She heard it more in her mind than with her ears. But she saw his lips part as he said it, confirming she hadn’t imagined it. 

Ben looked different. When she’d seen him through their bond, she hadn’t really looked at him. He was tired, exhausted. Dark bags under his eyes and his skin seemed paler, causing the scar to stand out in contrast. A slight beard outlined his full lips making him look older, like he aged a year in just a month’s time. He kept it trimmed though, just some over his top lip and some on his chin. It looked good. He looked good despite the exhaustion. 

If his gaze hadn’t already frozen her to the spot, her observation of him would have. Those thoughts had no business in her mind. 

With no other words spoken, Ben strutted across the landing, away from his ship and out of sight. Only once she could no longer see him did Rey breath, gasping for air like she’d been drowning. 

Reaching up, Rey grabbed the crystal hanging from her neck. It’s slightly warm surface against her palm, calmed her. 

Originally, Rey had tried to give the other half of the Kyber crystal to Leia but the older woman had insisted she keep it. Rey had fastened a thin strip of leather around it to tie around her neck. The crystal had stayed there ever since. When she was deep in thought or anxious about something, Rey would reach for the crystal to calm her nerves. 

BB-8 chirped next to her. The others were still trying to talk to her through the transmitter.

“BB-8, can you wait for me in the hut?” She wasn’t sure how Kylo would react to the droid. “And tell the others to stop yelling; everything is fine,” Rey rolled her eyes at the voices she’d already tuned out. 

The droid left, though he voiced his objections, leaving Rey with her nerves. 

How long did she stand there? How long did she wait for him? How long before his presence surrounded her like a warm, comforting blanket on a cold winter’s night? 

Rey spun on her heels, turning to face him. 

“Ben,” she breathed, “you came.”

Was she really surprised? Part of her, yes. She never expected the Supreme Leader of the First Order to care about the passing of General Leia. But Ben? Ben cared. Ben still longed for his mother. Rey was sure of it. 

“Was she at peace?” his voice was devoid of any emotion. He could have been discussing the ease of his ship’s landing. 

“She was,” Rey nodded. She wanted to give him more. More insight to the peace Leia had felt. Insight to the promise Rey had made the former general. But for how much Rey cared about Ben, she couldn’t trust Kylo Ren. 

The funeral pyre separated them. Most of the ashes had been carried off in the breeze out to the ocean surrounding the island. What remained, still smoldered in a heap, the smoke slowly swirling up in the air between them. 

Ben took a deep breath, moving forward with silent footsteps to where his mother had been laid to rest. His body was tense and he kept clenching and unclenching his fist. The conflicting emotions inside him, rolled off him in waves. Anger and pain the most dominate Rey could sense. 

Rey never had the chance to ask Leia what had happened between Ben and his parents. She only had a vague knowledge. Han and Leia had sent him to train with Luke. But that was all she knew of their relationship. 

The air around the pyre fizzled with energy as Ben stepped up to the stone. He ran a single gloved hand through the ashes, stirring up the embers.

“Mom,” the single word escaped his lips and he fell to his knees, head bowed down. Defeated.

Rey’s breath caught in her throat. The pain knocked into her so strongly, she took a step back. She couldn’t see the emotions in his eyes but she could feel it as if the hurt were her own. 

Cautiously, Rey rounded the stone pyre to stand next to him. His shoulders heaved as he took in a breath that sounded like a half sob. Dropping to her knees next to him, Rey reached out as if to touch him but hesitated. 

Time suspended around them. Rey knew, she knew in her heart, if she reached out to touch him, to comfort him, nothing would ever be the same again. 

Rey placed her hand on his forearm. Ben’s head snapped up, trapping her gaze with his. His eyes were glazed with unshed tears. He wouldn’t cry. No, Ben didn’t cry. But Rey did. She wept the tears for him, the tears he couldn’t shed. Tears for his mother’s passing, for the pain clenching within both their chests. Tears for what they’d endured and still had yet to face. 

“Ben,” his name was just a breath released between her barely parted lips. 

She saw it reflected in his amber eyes; everything had changed and yet nothing had. But there was no going back after this moment. 

Ben leaned towards her, his lips parted as if to say something. What, Rey didn’t know. 

BB-8’s shrill beeping shattered the spell, forcing time to swirl back into motion around them.

“What?” Rey jumped up as the droid’s warning registered in her mind. Her palm burned from where she’d touched Ben.

“What is it?” Ben rose slowly next to her, looking from her to the droid. 

“Another ship,” Rey snarled. “You liar!” 

Rey snatched up her lightsaber and ignited it in the same motion. Ben took several large steps back, retreating from the blue flames. 

“How could you!” Rey roared. Her cheeks were still stained with the tears she’d cried for him Once more, Kylo Ren betrayed her. “You tricked me!”

“Rey,” his voice was surprisingly calm. “Don’t do this.”

With an animalistic roar, Rey charged, swinging the lightsaber towards Kylo. Ren easily blocked her, raising his own saber and igniting it to stop her strike towards his head. 

“I have nothing to do with that other ship!” He yelled at her. His face was washed in the purple light of their combined sabers. “Why do you strike first and ask questions later?” He screamed the question over her grunt of rage.

Rey called on strength from the Force to help her push Ren back, away from her. He fell back several steps, into the opening of the Temple. 

“I should have known,” she bellowed. “I should have known you’d play with my emotions just to trick me into revealing my location!” 

“Enough!” Kylo roared. He tossed his lightsaber to the side. It clattered, no longer ignited, onto the hard ground, spinning away from him. “I didn’t betray you!” His voice echoed off the walls of the Temple. Taking a deep breath, he held his hands out as if to say he meant her no harm and lowered his voice. “I must have been followed.” 

***

General Hux entered the throne room. His footsteps echoed off the black, glossy floor. Only two Knights of Ren could be seen. 

“Where is the Supreme Leader?” Hux demanded, looking from one dark armored figure to the next. 

The Knights, as they called themselves, barely spoke. Hux couldn’t even recall hearing them say anything unless speaking with Ren. Actually, he couldn’t recall even seeing them outside the throne room. It was like they lived and moved among the shadows. Surely Kylo had given them some kind of order to remain mysterious, hoping it would cause people to fear them. It didn’t work on Hux.

“I have urgent news for the Supreme Leader,” Hux growled. “Where is he?”

“The Supreme Leader has left to attend to a matter,” one of the Knights stepped forward, finally acknowledging Hux’s presence. The voice was distorted through the mask. Hux couldn’t tell if it were a man or woman who spoke. 

“When will he return?” Hux ground out between clenched teeth. 

“After he has attended to the matter,” the same Knight replied. He stepped back into place next to the empty throne. 

Hux was being dismissed. 

He kept his calm demeanor as he made his way back towards his chambers. General Hux did not throw temper tantrums like Ren. Hux was better than that. Hux was better than Ren. 

Storming into his chambers, Hux took a deep breath. It didn’t work. 

“Fuck!” he shouted, releasing his rage. No calming breaths would soothe the fire raging inside him. 

Kylo Ren had taken the role of Supreme Leader and demanded to control Hux and his army. He brought in those, those Knights and completely undermined Hux’s authority. 

“Hux?” the grating voice of Thanas was the last thing Hux wanted to hear at the moment. It only set his nerves even more on edge. “Hux what is it?”

She laid in his bed, waiting for his return. At least she’d had the decency to throw on a robe. 

“What the hell are you still doing in my chambers?” He roared.

Her eyes narrowed at his tone. Rising off the silk sheets, she approached him. A rather dangerous and foolish thing to do, Hux thought. 

“What happened?” she demanded. 

“None of your fucking business,” he spat the words at her, too blinded by his rage to remember he was supposed to be in love with the whore. 

“Hux-”

His hands flew out, wrapping around her throat before he could even process his actions. 

“I told you not to fucking call me that!” His voice echoed around them, drowning out her cries of terror. “You are nothing more than a worthless whore.”

As fast as he’d lashed out, he released her, throwing her to the ground where she landed with a satisfying slap of skin against marble. 

Thanas coughed, trying to catch her breath. “You fucking idiot,” she growled. 

The reaction shocked him, enough to draw his attention. Thanas sat up, tucking her legs beneath her to rise up on her knees. She rubbed at her throat where his hands had left red marks. 

“You think I don’t know the game you’ve been playing,” she chuckled, a dark edge to her voice. “I know the great General Hux,” she spat out his name like a curse. “Is not capable of loving anyone more than himself.”

Hux narrowed his eyes at her. His fingers flexed, itching to wrap around her throat once more. But a part of him wanted to hear what else she had to say.

“You desire power as do I.” She rose to her feet like a lethal feline. As she spoke, she walked towards him. “You desire the power of Supreme Leader. The power to control all of the First Order,” her voice grew husky. Her eyes darted to his lips and then back up to meet his gaze. The look in her eyes caused Hux’s cock to twitch with interest. “And I desire to fuck the most powerful man in all the galaxy,” she said the words so close to Hux’s lips, he could feel the heat of her breath on his skin. 

“Shouldn’t you be on your knees before the Supreme Leader?” Hux tested her. 

In a swift motion, Thanas fell to her knees and place her hands on either of his hips. 

She shook her head. “Kylo Ren is not the rightful Supreme Leader,” she leaned forward to place an open-mouth kiss on his cock through the fabric of his pants. “It’s why I sent a small fleet of Stormtroopers to follow him, whenever it is he was going.”

“You did what?” He grabbed her by her arms and forced her to stand. He shook her, demanding answers. 

“I sent my most loyal men to follow Kylo Ren and assassinate him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't lie, I originally planned on Thanas being a rather unimportant character that Hux used for his "plan" but damn if I don't love the character she's becoming. Evil bitches are always interesting to me.
> 
> Also, just to torture you guys, Ben was totally leaning in for a kiss. The scene was from Rey's POV so she didn't know that, thinking he was just going to say something But if BB-8/the ship/PLOT hadn't jumped in, Ben would have kissed her.
> 
> Another way to torture you guys (and myself), if plot wasn't a thing in this fic, Ben would have strutted up to Rey and kissed her right after arriving on the island. You can thank Reylobitch for that. Reylobitch's exact words were: you know what would be hot...if he just walked out of his ship..with those long fucking legs...straight to Rey...and in swift motion...picked her up...so her legs were wrapped around his waist...and they were just making out...like without even saying a word...they just bang...ohh yeeaahhh...omg...and then when they're done...Ben looks at her...brushes hair away from her face...and says "hi"...and sMILES OMG I NEED TO LAY DOWN NO I DONT I ACTUALLY STAND UP AND GET OUT OF BED BUT AFTER THAT I NEED TO LAY DOWN


End file.
